Kukri

[stekemest]

Hi,

Flea market find from today. Can you tell me how old it is? I don't know much about those weapons.
Thank you very much for any answers.

Peter

[stekemest]

Length without scabbard is 40 cm.

[Battara]

Possibly late 1800s.

[Lew]

I would say 1940 blade shape wrong for an 1800s piece.


Lew

[stekemest]

thank you both for your answers. Is it possible that a newer blade was attached to an older handle? The handle doesn't look like 40s to me, though I don't know too much about kukris...
Any other infos still highly appreciated.

Thanks,
Peter

[Bill M]

Spiral??? Yo, Spiral?

Trouse set.

[inveterate]

I would think this Kukri most likely dates from 1935 - 1950 period. Rod

[scratch]

Hello Stekemest
I am not familiar with this form of kukri, however, to me it appears to be a solid Nepalese working Kukri. Nice steel bolster and overall a good example of type I think. I like the Look of the grip on these.
1930s to 1960s perhaps
Well done and thanks for sharing.

Kind regards,

Dan

[stekemest]

Thank you all for your help.

Can you tell me how much it is worth? Just that I know I didn't pay too much for it. I was hoping it was older.

@Bill: Sorry, I don't understand a word.

best regards
Peter

[Henk]

We discuss weapons not money.
Read the forum rules.

[stekemest]

Uh, sorry... I wonder how I should ever get a feeling for prices then. Haven't seen kukris similar to this in auctions.

Thanks again for the dating.

[Bill M]

Members here are mostly interested in the history, construction, use of ethnographic pieces. Prices are not discussed. Don't exactly know why. Guess there have been some problems in the past.

Your piece is a little unusual in that it has places in the scabbard for other tools than the usual accessories, ie, the burnisher tool and the small knife you have in your pictures. I have heard these called a "trouse."

Depending on how the original owner wanted to accessorize, these pouches could have held tweezers, awls, or a variety of other small tools. I have seen flint in the removable pouch, for starting fires.

Kukri like yours were custom made for specific uses. I have seen these made for a native doctor, leather worker, etc.

As my focus is on other area weapons, I will suggest that for further info you go to the 'member list' at the top of the page and contact "Spiral." He will be happy to help you. Email him.

Discussing price with forum members in private email is completely proper.

Good luck and glad that you joined the Forum!

[stekemest]

Thank you very much, Bill. I will try to contact him. Let's see what he thinks of it.

[Henk]

Peter,

No hard feelings, maybe I was a bit to short.

Like Bill said, PM or email will help. You also could contact Berkley. He is also a member with knowledge on the kukri.

[stekemest]

No problem Henk. Thanks for the info, I will contact him.

[Bill M]

I think that two points are being made here.

1. New members need to read "Forum Rules and Guidelines."

2. We, who have been members for a while consider how overwhelmed and baffled a new member can feel, in many areas, from posting pictures to protocol.

Remember how it took awhile to feel comfortable and "moved in" here when we first joined? But now it seems OBVIOUS that everyone should know how to fit in.

I think that we do a good job of welcoming new members and appreciate all of us, especially Henk, working to help Peter feel comfortable here.

[stekemest]

Don't worry, I feel very comfortable and really appreciate your help. Sorry for not reading the rules first.

[Battara]

Guess I'm wrong about the kuk.............

Yes there have been problems in the past. We could get sued or at least legally liable if giving pricing - at least that is what I remember.

[Gonzalo G]

I agree with you, Rod. I don´t think it is really a gar khukri (trousse)...only three pockets, apart from the main one. Maybe Spiral can tell us more.
My best regards

Gonzalo

[Bill M]

Gonzalo, you may have a point about the number of pockets. To clarify, I enclose pictures of two of mine. The first is a recent one from Himalayan Imports. Sorry I didn't take a picture better showing the pockets.

The second is an older native khuk. That the tools are not ensuite is not unusual, according to John Powell. The natives did not really care about matching tools.

[inveterate]

No this is not a Kukri that has been referered to as "Trousse" by western collectors, such as the two examples you show Bill. Rod

[Bill M]

I wonder if it has some name-type? It is different from the regular type. Mine have six to eight small pockets, his has three, the usual has two, I have some with no pockets.

I would guess, since these are individually made, the customer of the kami/smith would input what he wanted specifically for his needs. Perhaps we get over-specific in our desire to catalog?

It seems to me that it would be easier to carry if it was two separate items. The big blade khuk and the small kit?

[Berkley]

Bill, I would say that three pockets was the "usual" configuration when the karda and chakmak were really used by people in isolated rural settings, rather than the vestigial items they have become in the age of universally available disposable lighters. The central hole commonly carried a length of bamboo to be used as a blowpipe for firestarting with the flint and tinder carried in the outer pouch and the chakmak as a striker. The late Bill Martino observed that in modern times the central hole was as likely to carry a Chinese-made lead pencil. The 4-hole scabbard shown in this group has a piece of copper tubing to be used as a blowpipe, and a hand-carved bamboo dip pen. The multiple tool versions that John Powell dubbed "trousse" have a wide variety of implements, many as you note often cobbled together from various sources to suit the needs of the user: tweezers, small saws, hooks, awls, chisels, screwdrivers, etc.
I think Peter's kukri is certainly post-WWi based on the length of the bolster, blade shape, wide edge bevel and shallow scribed grooves along the spine. The blade shapes on the bi-knives are older designs, and the lack of a buttplate is characteristic of 19th century designs. The problem with dating kukris is that, in a traditional society, traditional designs persist right up to the present day.
Berk

[Bill M]

Holy Toledo, good stuff!

Thanks Berkley! This is good info, folks.

[stekemest]

Thank you all very much again for your help.

Peter

[spiral]

Hello Chaps,

Some great input from all you guys!

Id Agree its shape, features & style strikes me as probably ww2 or 50s era kukri {give or take 10 years.], probably made for native Civilians, although who actualy purchased it is anyones guess.

Nice find!

Spiral